Minnie Dlamini, former SuperSport presenter in South Africa, was in hot water with Itumeleng Khune fans after making a TV blunder

Itu Khune, Kaizer Chiefs’ beloved goalkeeper, has been playing in the PSL since 2007, and he is well over his 30s

Soccer fans did not appreciate Minnie’s surprise that 36-year-old Itu Khune is still in the PSL, but it seems he’s following in the footsteps of greats such as Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Gianluigi Buffon and more

Minnie Dlamini angers Itu Khune fans

Itu Khune’s supporter came to his defence, alleging that Minnie Dlamini was being shady by being amazed that Khune still plays for Kaizer Chiefs. The actress and Khune were a couple on SA’s celebrity scene until 2014.

In addition, Minnie was a SuperSport presenter, so her surprise does not make sense to viewers.

Soccer players who retired later than Itu Khune

1. Ronaldinho Gaúcho

Legendary Brazilian player Ronaldinho is one of the biggest names. He made a name for himself as Barcelona’s star midfielder. Ronaldinho retired officially at 37 in 2018 but stopped playing only one year younger than Itu Khune.

Ronaldinho played the beautiful game until he was 35.

1. David Beckham

While David’s latest work includes being on Netflix with the documentary series Beckham, he was a seasoned footballer. Beckham played for Manchester United, where he solidified himself as a legend and retired in 2013, according to Cosmopolitan.

Beckham hung up his football boots at the ripe age of 38.

2. Gianluigi Buffon

Juventus’ Gianluigi Buffon is hailed as the world’s best keeper. The Italian icon started his career in 1993 and retired in August 2023.

Buffon was 45 when he played for the last time, according to ESPN.

3. Pelé

Dubbed the best footballer in the world, Pelé had a long illustrious career. The Brazilian holds bragging rights as the best-paid athlete in history.

Pelé stopped playing in 1977 at 37 years old.

4. Iker Casillas

Spanish former goalkeeper Iker Casillas reigns as one the best. Real Madrid F.C. considers him to be the greatest in the club and Spain. Casellas revelled in his profession as he started at the club aged 9.

Casillas retired at the ripe age of 39.

Is Itu Khune too old to be in PSL?

In general, age and sport do not mix. However, Forbes reported researchers in Frontiers in Psychology concluded that soccer players are getting older on average. Academics credited this to more investment in soccer clubs, more support to sustain players performance, better training facilities and dietists.”

In Khune’s context, his longevity may be linked to these factors as he has many resources available to him. Khune is the longtime keeper of the third most valuable soccer club in South Africa. His longevity may also be attributed to his position as a keeper, just as the two oldest players on ClickHub’s list above, Gianluigi Buffon and Casillas Iker.

What do you think the policy should be about age in soccer/football, and why should there be one?